A Boldly Glazed Marked 19th Century Red Earthenware Jar from Western New York

According to the exhibit catalog, Clay in the Hands of the Potter: An Exhibition of Pottery Manufactured in the Rochester and Genesee Valley Region, Circa 1793-1900,  which was published by the Rochester Museum and Science Center in 1974, "Lorenzo Johnson (Western New York potter) operated a lead-glazed earthenware pottery in the extreme southwestern corner of the Town of Newstead as early as 1850. By 1866 he was producing both red earthenware and drain tile. Sometime after 1880, but before 1887, he moved a few miles south to Mill Grove, Erie County where he was active in another pottery operation.

Among the potters who may have worked for Johnson at Newstead was James Banford. Banford resided in Newstead, circa 1854-1859. He had previously operated a red earthenware pottery in the Village of Avon, Livingston County, and prior to that he had been a resident of West Bloomfield.

From extant examples of Johnson's wares and from sherds collected from the pottery site, we can see that in at least some of his production, Johnson was obviously attempting to imitate stoneware in form, glaze color and decoration. His use of a blue slip floral decoration is a trait also shared by a couple of Ontario, Canada earthenware potters. Records do suggest that Johnson may have been a resident of Canada in the late-1840s, which was previous to his employment in western New York as a potter beginning around 1850."

While Johnson was known to have marked some of his pottery, especially the objects made in imitation of stoneware, I cannot say that I can recall seeing too many examples of typical red earthenware that were marked. To my knowledge, he used two marks, "L. JOHNSON" and "L. JOHNSON / & CO. / NEWSTEAD." He also sometimes incorporated a capacity mark, which more often than not is found on the forms he produced that he was inspired to do so as a result of local stoneware production.

But like I wrote, I have not seen many marked pieces of traditional red earthenware, such as this jar, prominently impressed "L. JOHNSON," which is in the collection of Victor, New York antiques dealer, Gene Pratt.

Aside from the mark, the color of this jar is spectacular, almost resembling a type of eighteenth and nineteenth century production found in France.

Boldly Glazed Marked Red Earthenware Jar from Western New York

19th Century Red Earthenware Jar with a Spectacular Glaze

Made at Lorenzo Johnson's Pottery in Newstead, NY

Marked "L. JOHNSON"

Circa 1850-1880

See Article for More Information

Photo Courtesy: Gene Pratt

Please Stay Tuned...Much More to Come...